Proteas hope Kallis can play WACA Test

Date: November 29 2012

Justin Chadwick

Star South African allrounder Jacques Kallis will be given until Friday morning to prove his fitness for the third Test against Australia at the WACA Ground, but spinner Imran Tahir won't have the chance to make amends for his horror showing in Adelaide.

Kallis is firming to play as a specialist batsman in Perth despite injuring his hamstring during the drawn Test in Adelaide.

The 37-year-old still managed to post scores of 58 and 46 while injured in that match, adding to the 147 and 49 he scored in the first Test at the Gabba.

Proteas skipper Graeme Smith said Kallis was "coming along nicely", and hoped the prolific run-scorer would be able to help South Africa secure a 1-0 series win in Perth.

"Hopefully when we wake up (on Friday) morning, he'll be ready to go," Smith said.

"Jacques is immense for us.

"To have him at number four definitely gives us a lot of batting strength, and the solid nature of what he brings to our top six is crucial for us.

"We will do everything possible to get him fit.

"He wants to get on the park and perform, and that's great for us."

But the news isn't so good for Tahir, whose match figures of 0-260 off 37 overs in Adelaide will cast him into the Test wilderness.

Although Smith is keen to stick with a spinner in Perth, those duties are set to fall to Robin Peterson; a 33-year-old left-arm finger spinner who played the most recent of his six Tests back in 2008.

"Imran in his own admittance hasn't performed that well over the last Test match. I think his confidence is a little bit low," Smith said.

"Our job is to rebuild that and give him some direction going back to South Africa in terms of the role he's going to play and how he can get back to hopefully performing at his best.

"I think Robbie will come into contention."

Paceman Vernon Philander, who missed the second Test with a back injury, is almost certain to replace Rory Kleinveldt, while allrounder Ryan McLaren will come into contention should Kallis fail in his bid to play.

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